How To Practice Copperplate Calligraphy [+ Worksheet]

Learning calligraphy takes time, and this is especially true if you’re trying to learn the elegant but difficult Copperplate script. It takes effort and practice to build the consistency and muscle memory required for producing this elegant script, but we’re going to make your practice easier today with our Copperplate practice sheet! 

In this guide, we’ll show you step by step how to get started with Copperplate calligraphy, even if you’re a beginner (don’t worry, we’re alllll about the beginner journey here at Loveleigh Loops). 

We’re going to cover everything from which supplies you need to how to practice using those supplies and how to check your progress. Grab your pointed pens and let’s dive in!! 

Table of Contents

    Prefer to watch on YouTube instead? ↓ 

    What is Copperplate Calligraphy?

    Copperplate is the name for a collection of handwriting scripts that were popular in England and the United States during the 17th and 18th centuries. 

    A popular use of the script was to engrave a handwritten example onto a copper plate. These plates were then used in printing, hence the name Copperplate script.

    Copperplate calligraphy

    The individual letters are shaded, which means that there is a noticeable contrast between the thicker and thinner lines that make up each letter.

    Despite being a form of traditional calligraphy, the Copperplate script is still a flexible calligraphy style, with lots of room for flourishes and embellishments, like Copperplate flourishes.

    Don’t forget to pin it so you can find and reference later! ↓ 

     
    Pinterest image with text "how to practice Copperplate calligraphy"
     

    Traditional Copperplate in Modern Calligraphy

    Nowadays, the traditional Copperplate script is often used to give some oomph to official documents such as degrees and diplomas. The next time you visit your doctor, keep an eye out for their degrees on the wall and take some time to admire the handwriting! 

    Modern calligraphy no longer uses the same traditional tools that were popular in Copperplate’s prime. Calligraphy has become much easier since modern tools such as pointed pens have replaced the traditional quills.

    But, tradition is still very much alive in the shapes of the individual letters. In the modern Copperplate alphabet, the shape of each letter is based on historical examples found in works from that time. 

     
    Pointed pen being dipped in ink
     

    These traditions are the reason that learning this particular style of calligraphy comes with a set of specific rules to follow. Examples of Copperplate calligraphy are often more slanted than modern handwriting and more emphasis is placed on consistency.

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    How To Use Copperplate Calligraphy Practice Sheets

    Mastering Copperplate calligraphy takes time as it’s a complex script to learn. Only through lots of practice can you learn how to control the nib to make the thick and thin lines that are characteristic of Copperplate.

    The first step to get started is to get our printable Copperplate practice sheets (PDF) and work on perfecting your fundamental strokes. This guide sheet will serve as a Copperplate calligraphy workbook of sorts as you practice. 

    In Copperplate calligraphy, each letter can be broken down into a combination of the fundamental strokes. Working on consistency in your basic strokes allows you to eventually write letters and words with the same consistency.

    Benefits Of A Worksheet

    If learning Copperplate calligraphy is proving to be a challenge, a few key tips and using our practice sheet will help you progress much faster than using blank or college ruled paper.  

    Although you can work on your writing skills willy-nilly, there’s no need to live on the edge and wing it alone. 

    Using a worksheet to practice lays a solid foundation for your calligraphy skills as it comes with certain distinct advantages. A practice sheet helps you work on:

    • Consistency. Only through repetition can you build the muscle memory to write letters that are the same size and written at the same slanted 55-degree angle.

    • Letter proportions. Unlike normal handwriting, the height of your letters matters in calligraphy. The lines on a guide sheet are excellent points of reference to get consistency in this regard.

    • Critiquing your own work. By comparing your letters to an example, you can see if the shape, slant, and proportions are correct. 

    Using our Copperplate practice sheet is the next best thing to taking one of our calligraphy courses (which gives you instant access to our lessons). 

    Using a worksheet is the fastest way to improve your Copperplate calligraphy as it gives you examples for copying and ultimately critiquing and improving your own work.

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    Your Copperplate Practice Sheet

    Before you start using your practice sheet, take a moment to take in the lay of the land. At the top of your sheet, you can see a few important things that are easy to overlook.

    You’ll immediately notice that the guidelines are slanted at a pretty steep angle of 55 degrees. This strongly slanted look is characteristic of the Copperplate script and it takes practice to get your letters consistent.

    You may also like: Guide To The Copperplate Uppercase Alphabet

    The lines on the page also have specific names. Let’s start by looking at the horizontal lines. When you write in a notebook, your letters rest on the base line (the bottom horizontal line) but it’s unlikely that they’re all of a similar height. 

    Anatomy of a guide sheet

    Day-to-day handwriting is supposed to be quick more than anything and it’s not uncommon for letters to only touch the base line.

    However, the height of your letters and loops matters a lot in calligraphy. Using the ascender lines (two lines above the base line) and descender lines (one line below the base line) will really help with maintaining consistency in those loops.

    When you work on your basic strokes, using these lines as points of reference can help you get a sense of proportion for your letters. Make sure the top of your strokes rest on the header line (one line above the base line) and that any loops reach the same point between the first and second ascender line.

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    These two details may seem insignificant but they are extremely helpful for analyzing your own work.

    Exercise: Look at the letters you’ve drawn and compare them to the examples. Are they consistent in height and slant? 

    How To Practice Copperplate

    At the heart of practicing Copperplate is building muscle memory. By aiming to replicate the examples, you perfect each individual stroke and getting consistency in your strokes, you get consistency in your letters.

    When you draw over the examples on your practice sheet, aim for consistency more than anything (and go SLOWLY as you practice). For beginners, always make sure you start and end your strokes in consistent places to make maintaining an identical slant easier.

     
    Example of Copperplate calligraphy practice session

    Example of self-critiqued Copperplate calligraphy by Jordan of Loveleigh Loops

     

    A pointed pen is one of the best tools to add shading to your lettering. Keep in mind that the size of your guide sheet needs to match the size of your writing tool. The guide sheet we provided here is meant for pointed pen nibs; using a large brush pen to write small letters on a small practice sheet will lead to frustration! 

    You may also like: An Introduction to Pointed Pen Calligraphy 

    By applying pressure to the nib, you open the tines so more ink flows out. This way you can create a contrast between thick and thin strokes.

    How a pointed pen works

    As you can see in the image, always keep your nib aligned with the slant line on the paper. If you deviate from the slant line, you only put pressure on one of the tines which makes it impossible to create the thick downstrokes. 

    Also, this unequal distribution of pressure can result in damage to your nib, which we want to avoid at all costs! 

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    Start by tracing over the lines of the examples and then proceed to drawing your own independent strokes. Remember that downstrokes are always thick and that upstrokes should be as thin as you can make them. 

    After every practice session, always take some time to critique your own work by comparing it to the exemplar provided on the worksheet. 

    What do you notice about your strokes? What looks spot-on and what movements still require more practice? 

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    Basic Copperplate Supplies

    Practicing Copperplate calligraphy as a beginner is straightforward and isn’t demanding in terms of writing tools. However, if you’re interested in investing in your Copperplate skills, you probably want to get your hands on a couple of calligraphy tools.

    If this section sounds intimidating because these tools are all unfamiliar or you don't know where to get them, please check out our calligraphy kit for beginners. This way, you’ll get all of your basic supplies without having to leave the house (and they’re hand-picked by us!). 

    Pointed Pen

    One of the first things worth considering is a pointed pen holder. Pen Holders vary wildly in price but there’s really no need to invest in getting an expensive one when you’re just starting out. The only thing to consider is getting an oblique pen holder (one that has the nib at an angle). 

    Pointed pen calligraphy comes with a learning curve, but it’s a small one. It won’t take you long to get used to writing with one and you’ll quickly see that they’re especially well suited for Copperplate calligraphy.

     
    Jordan practicing Copperplate calligraphy
     

    Quality Paper

    Once you decide on using a pointed pen, it’ll only take a few attempts before you see that normal printer paper doesn’t quite cut it. 

    The secret: it’s not bleedproof.

    Poor quality paper doesn’t handle the ink well and using a pointed pen may cause the ink to bleed into the paper. And, a rough surface can cause frustration when you’re trying to make thin upstrokes as the nib will snag on the paper.

     
    Calligraphy supplies on a desk
     

    When it comes to using a pointed pen, getting quality paper is a must. We recommend starting out with HP Premium 32 paper. It’s smooth enough for a pointed pen and the ink flows nicely when writing. 

    You may also like: Top Supplies for Traditional Calligraphy 

    For even more tips on using your paper correctly (yep, it matters!), you’ll want to watch our Copperplate practice tutorial on YouTube.

    Next Steps

    Do you feel ready to give Copperplate calligraphy a try? Would you like to write your children’s wedding invitations, or a stunning notebook cover worthy-quote??

    You’re in the right place: come learn calligraphy with us (and our 25,000+ students)! We’re honored to be your calligraphy teachers. 

    Through the years, we’ve taught the art of Copperplate calligraphy to thousands of students through our calligraphy courses and our flagship Loveleigh University. 

    Step by step, we’ll hand you all the tools you need to truly master Copperplate calligraphy so you can execute your own unique designs, no matter how big or bold they may be.

    We show you how to pick the right supplies (and how to look after them), how to truly master control of your pointed pen and much, much more. 

    We hope to see you in there!

    Our pen and paper calligraphy courses: